Improvement in hat-stretching machines



R. EICKEMEYER.

Hat-Stretching Machines.

Patented July 29,1873.

'ELTNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

RUDOLF EIOKEMEYER, OF Y'ONKERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT INHAT-STRETCHING MACHINES.

Spcciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,337, dated July 29,1873; application led July 11, 1873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF EIGKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hat-Stretching Machines; and I do hereby declare thatthe following` specification, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the same, constitutes a true and accuratedescription thereof.

My invention consists mainly in combining a radially-ribbed sectionalclamp for engaging with and firmly holding the portion of the hatbody tobe stretched, with a radially-ribbed stretcher, which is arranged to engage with the inner and outer surface of the hat at points thereonbetween the ribs of the clamp, and which is capable of being partiallyrotated on an axis, with a movement equal to the limited spacesbetweenvth'e arms or ribs of said clamp; and also in combining with oneof the sections of the clamp a controlling spring.

The clamp employed by me may be constructed more or less conical in itsgeneral.

outline, and be adapted to receive a hat-body which is to be stretchedat both tip and brim, or it may be adapted for use with stretchingdevices intended to operate only upon the tips or the brims of hats.Whether adapted to and capable of holding the hat or hat-body at one ortwo points, the operation ofthe stretcher therewith will besubstantially the same in all cases, and it will stretch the tips orbrims -of hats by means of the application of force or strain in theline of the periphery of, and simultaneously at, different points in theperimeter of the hat or` hat-body.

As heretofore constructed, machines for stretching hats or hat-bodieshave either been operated upon what may be termed the corrugationprinciple, or the peripherical-extension principle. The employment ofradial stretching-iingers with radial ribs is common in the corrugationmachines, and the stretching of the hat is accomplished by strain orforce, which is applied to the hat-body on lines which are generally atright angles to the periphery of the hat, and hence the corrugations. Inthe extension machines, the stretching operation is effected either bythe separation or expansion of the two parts of a sectional block Y onwhich the hat is placed, or by spreading or expanding jaws, whichoperate on a flat-folded hat-body. In both of these latter cases thestrain is applied to the hat-body on peripherical lines, and in bothcases the strain is applied simultaneously to two sides of the hat,which is partially flattened in one case,

and wholly iiattened in the other.

-In my new machine the stretching operation is effected by theapplication of strain on the line of the periphery of the hat or body atseveral different opposite points thereon, while. the hat or body isiirmly held at intermediate points in-an open or extended condition,whereby the operation of stretching is rapidly, safely, and economicallyperformed; butv more particularly to describe my invention I will referto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents, inperspective, a machine which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 representsthe same in vertical section, with a hat-body in proper position to bestretched. Fig. 3 represents the two sections ofthe clamp detached fromthe machine. Fig. 4 represents the two sections of the stretcherdetached.

A and A denote the two sections of the clamp. Both are rigidly mountedon coincident spindles. The section A is composed ot' six ribs, a. Eachrib has a rounded or convex lateral surface for engaging with thehatbody. The section A is provided with six ribs, af, which projectradially and downward from a central hub. The ribs are equidistant fromeach other 5 their lower surfaces are laterally convex to receive theconcave surfaces of ribs a, and it is between these coincident surfacesthat the hatbody is held. The general form of the surface of the severalribs a', considered as a whole, is that of an inverted cone. The sectionA is mountedrigidly on the lower end of a sliding spindle, b, to theupper end of which is pivoted a weighted lever, c, which is, in turn,pivoted, by a slotted connection at one end, to a portion of thestandard of the machine. The sliding spindle moves in a verticalbeariug, which is also supported by the standard. As my presentinvention does not relate to the 'means for vertically operating thespindle, or raising and lowering the section A', I have not shown such,nor do I think it necessary to describe them, as manyof the appliancesnow used in hat-stretchin g machines may be readily adapted thereto inan obvious manner. B and B denote the two sections of the stretcher. Thesection B is composed, in this instance, of six radial arms or ribs, d,which correspond closely with the arms c of the clamp-section A',already described. The section B is mounted on the upper end of a hollowspindle, e, which embraces the rod or spindle on which the clamp-sectionA is mounted, and the arms or ribs of the stretchers occnpy theradiation spaces between the ribs of the clamp-section, so that whenviewed as a whole it resembles a twelve-ribbed cone. Thestretcher-section B is composed of six radial arms or ribs, d', which soclosely correspond with the arms a of the clamp-section A that thestretching and clamp sections Al and B', viewed as a whole, appear likea twelve-ribbed inverted cone. The lateral coincident surfaces of theribs el and d are, respectively, convex and concave, as is the case withthe ribs a and a of the clamp. The stretcher-section B is so mounted onthe end of the sliding spindle l) that it can partially rotate thereonto an extent equal to one of the spaces between the ribs of the clamp.The stretcher-section B, mounted on the upper end of the hollow spindlee, is also capable of being partially rotated; but, as the ribs a of theclampare stationary and the ribs cl are located between fthem, thelatter can only move within the spaces between the said ribs a. Thehollow spindle c, at or near its base, is provided with a lever, C, bymeans of which the spindle with the stretcher, which it carries, can besemi-rotated. Two stops, f, are arranged to bear against side springs g,which bear against the sides of the lever (J, and thereby cause thestretcher-ribs, when not in actionto be located in every case betweenthe adjacent ribs of the clamp-sections. In order that the arms d of theupper stretchingsection may maintain proper relations with the ribs a ofthe clamp, a curved dat spring, h, is arranged to project from thestandard and connect with the hub of the section B. The spring is so setthat it will exercise no force upon the section unless the latter isrotated in either direction out of its normal position.

In some instances the concave-convex surfaces of the ribs or arms of theclamp and stretcher sections will be roughened by angular scores, toinduce proper contact with the hat-body. In other cases the ribs will beclothed with wood, India rubber, cloth, felt, or any other suitablematerial which will properly engage with the hat-body without injurythereto.

The operation of my improved machine will be readily comprehended.

A hat-body, for instance, ready for stretching is placed upon thecomplex cone, and the inverted cone is let down thereon. '.lhe tip ofthe body will be pinched between the twelve clamp-ribs and the twelvestretcher-ribs with a uniform degree of pressure. The lever C is movedfrom left to right, and the several stretching-ribs d are also moved inthat direction until in contact on that side with the adjacent sides ofthe ribs of the clamp-sections. The upp'er stretcher-section moves withthe lower by reason of its pressure on it and the interposed portions ofthe hat. The movement of the lever O, thus described, stretches sixtriangular-shaped portions of the hat-body; and on moving it again tothe left as far as it can go, six other triangular-shaped portions ofthe hat-body will be stretched; or, in fact, all of the tip, except suchportion as is immediately pinched by the ribs, will have beenappreciably stretched. By moving the hatbcdy slightly on the coneanother stretching, as before described, will complete the operation.

In most hat-stretchin g machines, as heretofore constructed, thestretching was necessarily as much effected at one point of the body asanother, and therefore if a body had imperfeetions or thin places thesaid stretching operation was liable to develop them into positivelyobjectionable defects.

With the machine herein described the stretching operation is notessentially uniform at all points in all cases, for, as the clamp andthe stretcher sections are arranged so as to bear with a uniform degreeof pressure at all of the concave-convex surfaces of the ribs or arms,it is obvious that a thin place in a hatbody would not be so iirmlygrasped as the balance of the body, and therefore such portions wouldnot be liable to be so much stretched as adjacent thicker parts, whilewith bunches7 the reverse would be the result. Should apractically-uniform and perfeet body be placed on the cone it wouldnecessarily be evenly stretched, for themaction of the several pairs ofribs would be uniform.

When adapted to brim-stretching the laterally-vibrating stretcher-armswill be alternated with the clamping-ribs, as described; but instead ofhaving all ofthe stretcher-arms vibrated as by a semi-rotation on anaxis common to them all, each arm may be vibrated on an axis of its own,which will occupy a point adjacent to the band-line, so that while theperimeter of the outer edge of the brim can be increased to any desireddegree the bandline may remain practically intact. To effect thesimultaneous movement of all the stretcher-arms-the actuating power maybe applied peripherically-as, for instance, by an encircling annularplate or ring, to which the outer ends of all the stretching-arms willbe connected by a link or a variable or slotted joint; or said arms maybe pivoted by slotted connections at their outer ends to radial armswhich extend from a central axis. In either case the spirit of mypresent invention will be involved, in that the several stretcher-armswill encircle the hat, and operate simultaneously at several oppositepoints of the perimeter thereof.

When desired, the upper stretching-section may be also provided with anactuating-lever,

and. this may be connected with the lower to secure proper co-operation;and said levers may be operated by rotative mechanism, by

means of link-connections, in an obvious manner. When thus connected thecompressingsurfaces could never get ont of coincidence.

The extent of the vibration of the stretcher will be Varied to suitdifferent kinds of hat-s, as those which are tender will not bear a veryextended movement thereof.

Although I have shown the weighted lever to press the upper sectionsdownward, it is obvious that the same results can be effected by havingthe upper section stationary, andv the lower movable by means of afoot-lever or similar lifting and depressing device.

To secure a yielding or spring pressure, springs may be interposedbetween the sec, tions, and the power applied thereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patenting laterally vibrated, as and for the purposesspecified.

V2. The combination, with a sectional stretcher, of a spring, which isarranged to engage therewith, substantially as described.

R. EIGKEMEYER.

Witnesses:

. G. OSTERHELD,

R. ScHELLHAAs.

